Friday, May 23, 2008

Content Objective: 1.02 Analyze expressive materials that are read by monitoring comprehension for understanding. 1.03 Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student shares personal reactions to questions raised and gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.

Language Objective: Join whole class discussion about the elements of a short story.

Essential Question: What are the storytelling elements found in a Jack Tale?

Today we returned to the study and enjoyment of language arts. We discussed terms like protagonist, antagonist, quest, conflict, and resolution in the context of a Jack Tale. We watched Jack and the Dentist's Daughter to the delight of all.

Homework: SSR.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

Content Objective: 1.02 Analyze expressive materials that are read by monitoring comprehension for understanding. 1.03 Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student shares personal reactions to questions raised and gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.

Language Objective: Join small group/whole class discussion about the Science EOG test.

Essential Question: Has my knowledge of science increased to the point that I am ready for the Science EOG?

Today students took the Science EOG test. Tomorrow we will try and regain some semblence of normalacy.

Homework: SSR.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Content Objective: 1.02 Analyze expressive materials that are read by monitoring comprehension for understanding. 1.03 Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student shares personal reactions to questions raised and gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.

Language Objective: Join small group/whole class discussion about the Math EOG test.

Essential Question: Have my math skills improved and am I ready for the EOG?

Today students took the Math EOG test. Tomorrow the eighth graders will take the Science EOG.

Homework: SSR, and get a good night's sleep.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Content Objective: 1.02 Analyze expressive materials that are read by monitoring comprehension for understanding. 1.03 Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student shares personal reactions to questions raised and gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.

Language Objective: Join small group/whole class discussion about the Reading EOG test.

Essential Question: Have my reading comprehension skills improved and am I ready for the EOG?

Today students took the Reading EOG test. From anecdotal evidence, they did well. There were the usual complaints about the content and length of the passages, but overall students are confident. Some students were sleepy, some were intimidated; all finished.

Homework: SSR, and get a good night's sleep.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Content Objective: 1.02 Analyze expressive materials that are read by monitoring comprehension for understanding. 1.03 Interact in group activities and/or seminars in which the student shares personal reactions to questions raised and gives reasons and cites examples from text in support of expressed opinions.

Language Objective: Join small group/whole class discussion about poetry and corresponding questions.

Essential Question: Have my reading comprehension skills improved and am I ready for the EOG?

Today we continued reading comprehension skills practice as we focused on decoding poetry. We read Whitetails, a poem about deer. I chose to save this 8th grade EOG sample for the day before testing because not only do the corresponding comprehension questions deal with mood, comparable situation, and inference, the poem's subject is one near and dear to many of my students who have had just about all the EOG review they can stand. I figured a poem about deer wouldn't be too tough to take. However, after that I hit them with Poe's Eldorado, a poem about teenagers, and Langston Hughes' Mother to Son. We finished the class by taking down every shred of thought-provoking material from the walls of the classroom.

Homework: SSR, and get a good night's sleep.